


the strongest hearts have the most scars

by gotham_ruaidh



Series: Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire & Jamie [153]
Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:53:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29790162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotham_ruaidh/pseuds/gotham_ruaidh
Summary: Jamie marks a sad anniversary. Claire is at his side.
Series: Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire & Jamie [153]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/345047
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	the strongest hearts have the most scars

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted at [Imagine Claire & Jamie](https://imagineclaireandjamie.tumblr.com/post/644473757779591168/the-strongest-hearts-have-the-most-scars-jeff) on tumblr

Sometime before dawn, Jamie Fraser gave up trying to sleep.

Quietly he slipped out of bed - careful to not disturb Claire, curled up under a pile of quilts - and crossed the floor of the Laird’s room, adding another log to the fire. Swiftly the log became alight, casting a warm glow into the room - just enough light for Jamie to lay out his plaid, pleat it, roll it, tuck his shirt into it, and buckle it around his shivering body.

Sliding into his boots, he brought the tail of his kilt around his shoulders, and returned to Claire’s bedside to kiss her temple. She stirred sleepily. “Sleep,” he murmured into her ear. “Sleep. I love you. Sleep.”

She exhaled, and settled deeper into the feather mattress. Jamie drew the quilts tighter around her back, quietly drew back, and was gone.

–

In sleep she’d turned to face the window, and she opened her eyes just as the soft gray light of dawn filtered into the room.

Already she knew Jamie was not there. In sleep she knew. 

Slowly she sat up against the headboard, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Watching the fire crackle, pushing out the late February chill.

February the twenty-seventh. 

Jamie had been quieter than usual as the date approached. And now that it was here, all she could do was give him the space he didn’t know how to ask for. And to make sure he knew just how much he was loved.

She stretched and pulled back the quilts. Steeling herself against the day.

–

She knew exactly where to find him. And he wasn’t surprised when she did.

She knelt beside him in the frozen grass. Grasped his cold hand tightly between hers. 

He wiped the frost from his mother’s headstone. Gulped a deep breath to steady himself.

“God help me, Claire, I miss her.”

Claire silently squeezed his hand.

“I miss my Da. I miss Willie. I miss my wee brother who was born asleep. And I miss our Faith.”

His nose was red - from the cold, from the tears falling down his cheeks.

The wind picked up, and she huddled against him. 

“We have their memories to strengthen us. And we are the better for it, Jamie.”

He nodded absently, not looking at her. “Aye,” he rasped. “But why does it hurt so much?”

She lay her head on his shoulder. “Because it means we are still alive.”

He crushed her to him, and wrapped his plaid around her. Shaking with emotion.

“This date has come and gone so many times now. This year it…” his voice trailed off.

“How could it not, after the year we’ve had?” She kissed away the salt on his cheek. “And yet, we endure.”

He kissed her forehead. “We do. We will. And it’s a good thing to stop and to grieve, aye?”

She nodded. “It is. We would know, wouldn’t we?”

He closed his eyes, and she gathered him to her. “I wish she could see the man that you’ve become.”

“She does, _mo nighan donn_. She wouldnae have sent you to me otherwise.”


End file.
